Service design for universities

Sometimes solutions are under our noses – you just need the right approach to unlock them. In this post, consultant Jean Mutton explains service design, which she says is for anyone who often thinks “there must be a better way”.

This shift throws an even greater spotlight on the importance of putting students at the heart of the organisation, working with students as partners and co-designers. A key part of this approach is getting to the bottom of the felt student experience – what is really happening with our students – their frustrations, anxieties, challenges and triumphs.

“In analytical thinking, emotion is seen as an impediment to logic and making the right choices. In design, products without an emotional component are lifeless and do not connect with people. Emotion needs to be thoughtfully included in design decisions’’.Saffer, 2010

Service design – a human-centred approach to process improvement and student satisfaction – is rapidly gaining ground within the further and higher education sector. The techniques can be applied to any aspect of the student lifecycle, from prospect to alumnus. Journey mapping using service blueprinting, student personas and storyboarding both supports and helps to re-engage students whilst making systems and processes more user-focussed and results in more efficient and effective organisational systems and structures.

Service enhancement

At the University of Derby, we broke new ground in the use of service design approaches to define current delivery and develop service enhancement around the student transition and then to identify and support students ‘at risk’ by scoping out a set of engagement analytics, co-designed with students. This work led to changes in processes and relationship management, and resulted in significant enhancements to the student experience as well as to working practices.

Staff who were involved in the workshops and other activities learnt how to employ the techniques to inform their own systems reviews. Here is some feedback from one participant:

“I’m a blueprinting convert. It’s such an enlightening process when you break down the complex web we often weave ourselves in HE to what a student actually sees, experiences and has to negotiate their way through. Blueprinting gives an often stark visual representation of what we need to get right. Having the right cross section of staff involved showed that some of the solutions were actually there under our noses – we’d just never looked for them together before.” Bev Matthews, Team Leader

Events

This conference will explore how universities are using their global networks and partners to achieve more far-reaching knowledge exchange impacts and create new international business partnerships in other regions of the world.

This year’s event will tackle the challenges and opportunities that come with increased competition and choice in the sector off the back of momentous higher education reforms. Delegates will gain an exclusive introduction to the Office for Students, learn how to establish their institution as an international brand, debate the drive for digital in the sector and identify ways to enhance the student experience.

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Efficiency Exchange enables professionals to discover and share good practice and innovation to help create smarter working universities. The service is delivered by the Centre for Citizenship Enterprise and Governance.